Fantail Pigeons

[mrwoodboat]

Hi All, so today I decided to finally add pigeons to the menagerie. A friend raises several different types of pigeons and since I was not too interested in flying bird yet, I decided on either fantails or frill backs- ended up going with a mated pair of fantails.
So from what I have researched, they will do well on a 7 grain mix, grit and mineral supplements. My problem is the grit I can find is for cage birds- could I use something like blasting sand?

I have them in a 4' x 2' x 2' house with the same size pen to the front of it-this is twice the size of what they were raised in. The house has a nesting box on one end (with straw in it) but I read where I should put a feed bowl in the house so they have choices- the house has some drift wood stumps and branches but so far I have not seen them roost on any of the structure...

So- anything else I can I do for them? I try to make all my flights and pens as comfortable as I can for my birds- most have plants in them and I have plants around the outsides (mainly bamboo in pots)

thanks

 

[Hokum Coco]

So- anything else I can I do for them? I try to make all my flights and pens as comfortable as I can for my birds- most have plants in them and I have plants around the outsides (mainly bamboo in pots)

thanks

Sounds to me like your birds are pampered and you are doing more things right then most of us. I think blasting sand would probably serve the purpose. Personally I have noticed that when my homers free fly they like to pick grit along the edge of the country road in front of the house. The grit there is quite coarse the size of a BB gun shot from a Red Ryder Gun that can put your eye out. I find also if I put that same grit in their loft they never seem to touch it. One thing I can predict about pigeons they are un predictable..

Here is an interview done on me awhile back.

http://globalnews.ca/news/1478351/carrier-pigeons-continue-to-connect-family/

 

[laughingdog]

I either mix wild bird seed, scratch, and layer, sometimes with: manna pro "poultry conditioner". Cage bird grit i find better accepted and digested etc.

Pigeons eat grit at road side for minerals etc that are better there, and why same seeming grit bought not touched. a mineral spool for caged rodents (rabbits, guinea pigsr etc), can be used for minerals, if cannot get grit with minerals etc,or poultry vits n grit. or get bigger mineral block for deer sheep goats cattle and horses etc.

anything that can be getting for budgies/parakeets, can be used for pigeons. found out by experimentation on some homers n tumblers for a year or two.

 

[loftkeeper]

you can feed laying pellets and not worry about grit. red pigeon grit is best but chicken grit works